Rediscovering

Dude. I'm rediscovering the awesomeness of an apple. Weird huh? I know. But they're all like crunchy and then sweet and portable. I mean.. dude, it's actually good. When did fruit start tasting so good? Maybe it's the fact that they're worth 0 points on Weight Watchers (For men, gotta emphasize it's the "Weight Watchers for Men" version 'cause I'm still a dude and all that). It's the weirdest thing.

Now, I'm on my own strange journey (no, not one the Grateful Dead would sing about) of doing this. I did it on my own in my own weird way and lost weight. But now, now I need to admit I need help. And help so far has been tasting good. Beef Jerky's been 3 points for an ounce of it.. which is roughly what a regular slim jim is or Jack Links. Still trying to figure out how much burgers are that I make on the grill.

One of the biggest things I've been noticing about me is that I'm constantly checking how many points something is on my phone app (by the way, squirrel and beaver are both 1 point. Caribou bone marrow is 22, go figure). Now, this is where I'm going to Jesus Juke myself. I need to spend just as much energy on my spiritual health as well. (ohhh.. that hurt just typing it).

"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8

Ouch.. okay.. yeah...I gotcha. If you thought counting points on Weight Watches was hard. Try to read through 1 & 2 Chronicles and Leviticus.

It's hard. It's tough to do. Then I recently read this

"Taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8

Wonder how many points that'll be?

So much more in there to rediscover. And it'll be hard. Hard to try to rediscover good things. Hard sometimes to rediscover the sweetness of God's word. But taste and see. And don't be afraid.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

What might you rediscover?

Dead buffalo and the life hear after

While journeying through Yellowstone today, we came across the remains of a buffalo and the tell tale evidence of a bear being nearby. I also taught my son a new word--scat. Yeah. I'm cool like that.

This actually hit my 5 year-old son somewhat hard. We had just seen (and I mean like 15-20 minutes ago) live buffalo roaming the park. And now, as we're walking a trail around a hot spring, we see the bones, fur, uneaten hooves and what-nots of a buffalo on the ground near the trail. He had a hard time trying to understand death. He felt so bad for the deceased buffalo that he almost wanted to cry.

My wife and I tried to explain to him the circle of life (which I at first called The Law of Equivalent Exchange but that might be for a Spiritual Sci-Fi Friday post). That seemed to work. And we started walking down the trail again. Then my son stopped and said "Let's pray for the buffalo" and with no prompting started "Dear God, thank you for the buffalo, please bring him back to life. I really like buffalo. Amen."

Where could I go with this? Faith like a child? This is how he is psychologically processing his new understanding of a paradigm? (yeah, I said it..paradigm... just don't pronounce it pair-a-dig 'em).

He was processing what he had heard in church and Sunday school and spoke what he heard. His idea of heaven is one of feasted upon buffalo fully alive. (For me, it'd be a an amazing southern Californian beach..maybe with a buffalo too). But he took what he had heard about death and life and applied it in the best way a five year-old could.

This was a moment of pure spiritual health at work. He was trying to take what he had learned and put it into practice. I think this is being healthy in everything we do--spiritually, emotionally and even physically (I say this as I finish up a piece of amazing peanut butter fudge from the KOA here).

Part of being healthy is not staying where you're at but allowing information you've learned from church, from spiritual mentors, from life coaches from friends and even (gasp!) parents and putting it into practice in real life situations. And seeing the results regardless of success or failure.

Wow.. I'm a bit too serious this late at night. But honestly, look for ways to have those moments where you can take what you've learned and truly apply it in your life.

The cry of the catawampus

I'm a Christian. I'm a follower of Jesus Christ. And I learned a song as a kid that went "I got the joy joy joy down in my heart, down in my heart, down in my heart." And as a child, I was taught that we were to be happy. If we were happy, then that meant Jesus was with us. If I wasn't happy, then something was wrong with me. I didn't have enough faith, I wasn't praying right. And then my parents separated. I prayed and prayed and prayed. And nothing. No Hollywood ending. No remorse and reconciliation. And so I endured a time of rebellion, of anger, of tears, or struggles and down right mad at all things including God himself.

And then I found Christ. I gave my life to him. I made him ruler of my life. And did I become happy? Nope. My life still stank at times. It was still a struggle. And then things got better. Now I was happy. Now I could see the blessings of God. Now I knew he was active. Then, in 2000 I started getting depressed. I ballooned up to over 400lbs. The scale at the college health center couldn't even weigh me. It stopped at 400lbs.

I came across Psalm 13

How long, O Lord, will you forget me? Forever? (my translation)

And Psalm 6

O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint

And Psalm 88

O Lord, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you.

These are not the happy words of the Bible I was told I had to believe. These were words of pain, of agony, of worry. These were the words I was screaming. I screamed them as my parents separated and divorced. I screamed them as I was angry at the world for the lot I was given.

We are connected mind body and soul. We are connected physically, emotionally and spiritually. When one hurts, they all hurts. Part of being healthy physically, emotionally and spiritually is to be honest with who we are. With what we feel. So many times we sing that song "I've got the joy joy joy down in my heart" so many times, trying to force our selves to truly believe it when instead our whole life at that moment is catawampus and we don't know which end is up. And so many times when this happens we can lose focus.

I know for me when my wife was in her car accident, I started to loose focus on my health. I've prayed more than ever, I've pushed harder than ever and I've eaten more chocolate Pillsbury frosting than ever. By the spoon full. And this ain't good. Not good at all.

A year ago or so, I came across this song. I stopped the car and cried.



I keep thinking of these words from the prophet Habbakkuk. Back in November, I did a series from the book. I took the idea from Lifechurch.TV. You can see their version here.

With all that was going on for Habakkuk, he declares

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, and though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, YET will I rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my savior. Habakkuk 3:17-18

And so, in the thick of it all, in my desire to get back on track. In my desire to get into the groove once again of being healthy physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, I strive forward. Knowing that despite it all, I will rejoice in the Lord.

Nehemiah 8:10

Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength

And I push on towards the goal. I dray my strength from the Joy of the Lord, not my own joy, not my own happiness, but the joy knowing that I have a faithful savior who purchased me with his precious blood saving me from the tyranny of the Devil. I know for certain that I can rest in him.

It's tough. But I know I can do it.

Oh, and I gave up frosting for Lent.

FORD tough--Part 3 Picking it up

You ever have it where you're just so blasted tired. I am right now. Been a busy few weeks. I haven't been to the gym since Thursday. I've had WAY too much pizza (of course, can you ever have TOO much pizza?) and way too many sweets (and yes, you CAN have way too many sweets). For me, being healthy is a daily thing. It's a daily choice I have to make. Some days I'm better at it than others. Recently, I've been pretty bad at it (ate half a container of Pillsbury Cream Chocolate frosting..good yes, but went straight to my thighs). But it's a daily thing. Some days are better than others, but you have to move forward each time at it. Each day get up and move forward. Each day pick yourself up out of bed, lift up your body, and take those steps forward to be healthy. And it's so stinkin' hard!

On days like this, I so don't want to be FORD tough. On days like this, I so don't want to even think about being fixed or repaired daily. Just give me a root beer, a chili dog, and some football or even the Blackhawks and I'll be okay. Let me watch The Good, the Bad and the Ugly or even some cool Jackie Chan flick, (I'd even go for Bulletproof Monk right now) and just peal me off the couch at the end of the day. That'd be so great..right?

I mean, I try. I try hard. I do my best.

And then I think of these words:

There is do or do not, there is no try.

Thank. You. Yoda.Spiritually (and yes, this is Spiritual Musclehead) I think it's the same thing. No, I know it's the same thing. We need to be fixed and repaired daily. Part 1 and Part 2 looked at the reasons why. And it ain't pretty to say the least. But it's true.

Now, this is where you might disagree with me, and feel free to, but just listen anyway:

Jesus is the way to be repaired. Jesus says that if we want to be repaired daily, we need to follow him. What does this look like?

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever looses his life for me and for the gospel will save it." Mark 8:34-35

Duuuuuuuuuddde... that's some tough stuff.

So, do you really want to be repaired daily? It's a daily commitment to do this. There is do or do not, there is no try. Do you want to be repaired daily and made closer to God in the process?

What do you think it looks like to do this daily?